Legal Status of Blue Accent Lighting and Non-compliant Navigation Lights Raises Concerns

Boat owners increasingly request the installation of after-market or OEM-installed decorative lights on their vessels as accents on rub railings, for underwater illumination and other non-navigational locations. Many of these accents are blue or emit a range of colors including blue. State law enforcement agencies in several states are now enforcing laws which expressly prohibit the use of blue lights when underway. These laws were written primarily to prevent other mariners from confusing a recreational boat with law enforcement or other emergency vessels. In particular, law enforcement officials are concerned that rub railing and underwater illumination could be mistaken for flashing blue lights under rough sea conditions. The placement and intensity of accent lights that interfere with the display of navigation lights, regardless of color, may also violate USCG Rule 20.

In addition, USCG regulations and industry standards require navigational lighting aboard vessels to adhere to ABYC standard A-16 in accordance with specifications within 33 CFR 183.810 and 46 CFR 25.10-3. Safety Alert 10-15 issued Nov. 4, 2015 by the USCG Inspections and Compliance Directorate expressed concern that aftermarket manufacturers are producing and distributing navigational lights that have not been approved as required in 33 CFR 183.810. 

While some states have adopted USCG lighting standards that authorize only the use of white, red and green navigation lights while underway, some states have specific statutes prohibiting blue lights.  For example, Arizona RS 5-333(f) states: “No watercraft may display a blue light of any size or type unless it is either an authorized law enforcement watercraft of the federal, state or local government actually engaged in enforcement of this chapter or an emergency watercraft.” Wisconsin also bans the use of blue accent lights while at anchor or underway: NR 5.17 (2) states: No vessel may be equipped with or display any blue colored light or lamp unless the vessel is a patrol boat.”

MRAA stresses the importance of educating boaters of the use of blue accent lighting at anchor and while underway may be illegal and to check their local laws.

For more information regarding blue accent lighting, please contact MRAA Public Policy Manager, Will Higgins. 

Correct Craft Increases MRAA support as Platinum Partner

MINNEAPOLIS, MN. — Correct Craft, manufacturers of seven boat brands and three engine brands, has increased its support of the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, upgrading to the Platinum Partner level, the highest level of partnership.

Since 1925, Correct Craft has operated as the leader in the inboard, freshwater fishing, utility and recreational boating industries. As the brand continues to grow, Correct Craft continues to drive the industry as innovators who are committed to bringing enjoyment to families around the world.

“We have enjoyed a mutually rewarding relationship with Correct Craft, and it’s an honor to see such an innovative product-focused company put such an important emphasis on supporting its dealer network,” says Matt Gruhn, MRAA President. “From this increased support of our work all the way through to its engagement with our Certification Program, Correct Craft has not only been a great partner, but also a great ambassador for dealer development.”

Correct Craft’s Nautique Boats brand partnered with MRAA Dealership Certification to provide a platform for dealer growth and success. With a successful partnership underway, Correct Craft then introduced the program’s benefits to its other six boat brands, encouraging their principals to create similar programs for their dealer networks.

“We’ve enjoyed our relationship with the MRAA and appreciate the work they do to foster the growth and success of the marine industry,” says Bill Yeargin, Correct Craft CEO, “’Making Life Better’ is our key focus at Correct Craft companies and we believe partnering with MRAA helps us do that for both our dealers and customer.” Yeargin added

Correct Craft joins a growing roster of boat manufacturers, vendors and suppliers that have chosen to support the dealer community through partnership with the MRAA. The support of these organizations enables MRAA to expand the products and services it offers to dealers, with the goal of providing them with more tools, resources and educational opportunities to fuel their success. Find a full menu of partner benefits here.

About the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas
At the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, we believe that for the marine industry to thrive, the retail organizations that interact with the boaters in their community must thrive. With that in mind, MRAA works to create a strong and healthy boating industry by uniting those retailers, providing them with opportunities for improvement and growth, and representing them with a powerful voice. For more information, visit MRAA.com or contact us at 763-315-8043.
 
About Correct Craft
Celebrating 93 years of excellence in the marine industry, Correct Craft is a Florida-based company with global operations. The Correct Craft family includes Nautique, Centurion, Supreme, Bass Cat, Yar-Craft, SeaArk, and Bryant boat companies, Pleasurecraft Marine Engine Group, and Aktion Parks. For more information please visit www.correctcraft.com.

MRAA tackles workforce with Congressional Boating Caucus

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, in partnership with the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) and the Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) went to Capitol Hill yesterday to address Congressional Boating Caucus members and invited legislative staff for the annual State of the Industry Briefing.

The Congressional Boating Caucus is an informal bipartisan group of US Senators and Representatives formed in 1989 to advocate for the interests of the recreational boating industry.

Speaking to the group gathered at Russell Senate Office meeting room, MRAA President Matt Gruhn spoke to the shortage of qualified marine service workers, and the need for elected leaders to continue to ‘broaden’ their thinking about what education means in America.

“We need more support for apprenticeships and other technical trade programs, and encourage more people to make recreational boating their career,” said Gruhn. “We’re looking for support from Congress in creating more programs that support apprenticeships, on-the-job training and technical education, in general, as well as greater access to funding for employers and job seekers to gain the training they need.”

NMMA President Thomas J. Dammrich presented a report on the recreational boating industry’s financial rebound, or “long road back,” said Dammrich, since the Great Recession. With the economy doing well, sales are up and reports from winter boat shows are positive. He also shared ideas on what Congress can do to support this important sector of U.S. manufacturing. NMMA also addressed saltwater fisheries management as well as the issue over aluminum sheet imports.

As the boat owner’s advocate, BoatUS Vice President of Government Affairs Chris Edmonston spoke about the need for legislator’s support for recreational boating access, and specifically, the Water Resources and Development Act, which helps maintain the navigability of waterways by providing funds for dredging. Edmonston also spoke to the success of boating safety education in reducing accidents and fatalities, and the need to revamp US Coast Guard licensing to better address the needs of recreational boaters. “The current licensing system was never intended for recreational boaters,” said Edmonston.

About the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas
At the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, we believe that for the marine industry to thrive, the retail organizations that interact with the boaters in their community must thrive. With that in mind, MRAA works to create a strong and healthy boating industry by uniting those retailers, providing them with opportunities for improvement and growth, and representing them with a powerful voice. For more information, contact us at 763-315-8043.

5 Reasons To Engage with the New Certification Program

The Continuous Certification Program that you all have been hearing about over the past few months has launched!

As we prepared for this day, many dealers asked us how the program’s courses differ from all the other educational content we offer. The answer is, actually, simple: It was designed to do more to help dealers like you improve your team’s results. And real results are worth talking about.

Here are the 5 reasons you will tell your friends about the new Continuous Certification program:

Learning Objectives. To maximize your takeaways, we designed each course with a specific list of objectives those marine dealers who take it should be able to know and do by the time they finish it. The difference maker? Each objective is measurable, so you and your team will be able to track your return on the time invested.

Hybrid Education. The courses were built with all types of learners in mind. Yes. Even you. You have probably heard of those who are visual learners or those that learn best through listening or doing. Well, the program has a variety of content to promote the engagement and retention of each type of learner.

Real-World Application. The program is for marine dealerships. The new insights you gain and strategies you test are designed specifically for the boating business.

Customized for Certified Dealers. Each semester, the assigned course will build on the processes that you create through the initial Certification process. The content will support your procedures and help you implement change throughout your dealership.

Repetition and Follow-Up. You have heard the saying, “Practice makes perfect.” Well, research shows that learners do not retain new educational material in their long-term memory unless it is repeated. To ensure the success that comes with repetition, the course material is available to your dealership as long as you maintain your Certification. You (and your employees) can watch it over, and over, and over.

So if you are enrolled in the program, jump into the Continuous Certification process and the results will soon follow. And if you’re not enrolled, see what you are missing out on.

MRAA, Nautique Partner on Dealer Certification

ORLANDO – The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas and Nautique Boats have partnered on a dealer development initiative that gives dealers greater access to the Marine Industry Certified Dealership Program and rewards dealers who achieve Certified status.
 
In a multi-tiered approach, MRAA first rolled out the program, which included custom landing pages and special promotions, in a limited fashion to the Nautique dealer 20 Group. Then, Nautique VP of Domestic Sales Scott Bauer announced the partnership at the company’s 2018 model year dealer meeting, before MRAA laid out the dealership performance benefits to the dealers. More recently, MRAA once again supported Nautique’s dealer training event by recognizing the Nautique dealers who are excelling in the area of employee engagement, a key tennet of the Certification Program, and enrolling more dealers.
 
“We have made significant investments in product innovation and quality in recent years, and we believe, equally, in the power of investing in the growth and development of our dealer network as partners that represent our brand in each local market,” explains Nautique Boats President Greg Meloon. “Our partnership with MRAA and Dealer Certification gives us a proven platform to provide our dealers a roadmap to strengthen their operations, engage their employees on a higher level, and deliver world class customer service.”
 
At the 2018 Dealer Principals Meeting, Nautique announced that there will be an incentive in the 2019 Nautique Dealer Sales Program for dealers who have completed MRAA Certification. More than 40 percent of Nautique’s dealer locations have already engaged in the program.
 
“It’s an honor for us to be able to extend the blueprint that Dealer Certification offers in helping to strengthen the foundation of the Nautique dealer network,” says Matt Gruhn, President of the Marine Retailers Association. “Dealer Certification is our industry’s most effective tool for helping dealers foster rewarding retail experiences for today’s boat buyers, and it simultaneously provides a template dealers can use for building their own formula for success.”
 
As part of a broad campaign to fulfill its mission, MRAA has been working closely with a number of manufacturers to help extend such opportunities to their networks through custom programs. Additionally, MRAA has evolved the Dealer Certification Program to create much greater value for Certified Dealers and their teams. Today, not only will the process of becoming Certified help dealers stay focused on continuous improvement, but it will also share real-world strategies, best practices and insights from world class experts through the newly introduced Continuous Certification Curriculum.
 
About Dealer Certification
The MRAA’s Dealer Certification Program provides a blueprint for boat and engine dealers to create a culture of continuous improvement within their businesses. Dealer Certification focuses on enhancing dealership performance through three key pillars of building a competitive advantage: Operations, Employee Engagement, and Customer Satisfaction. The program unites the best and most effective tools, resources and educational programming offered by the MRAA into one package that offers dealers the most direct route to growth and success in today’s market. For more information, please visit MRAA.com/Certification or contact us at 763-315-8043.
 
About Nautique Boats
Nautique Boat Company manufactures the highest quality, most innovative ski and wake-sports boats available worldwide and has provided exceptional customer service experiences for over 93 years. From the industry-leading G-Series models, record-breaking Ski Nautique 200 and ultra versatile GS-Series of boats, Nautique has paved the way with innovative and cutting edge towboat technology. The Nautique name is synonymous with progression, high-quality and customer satisfaction and have been the best performing towboats on the waters of the world since 1925.

The RBFF Taps Fishbrain to Make Fishing More Accessible

ALEXANDRIA, VA- The world’s most popular app and social network for anglers, Fishbrain, today announced a first-of-its-kind partnership with the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF) to integrate new fishing intelligence features into its digital properties, including TakeMeFishing.org and VamosAPescar.org. The agreement will give RBFF’s audience of over 11 million unique visitors access to a comprehensive interactive map that showcases new and recent catches, fish species, and fishing forecasts for specific areas, as well as unprecedented intelligence sourced from experts and fellow anglers in an effort to make fishing more rewarding and accessible for everyone.

For nearly two decades, RBFF has been one of the most valuable resources for beginner and veteran anglers alike seeking expert insights on fish species and their habitats, the best places to fish, and information on nearby boat ramps and marinas. Now through the Fishbrain integration, site visitors will have access to a completely upgraded interactive Places to Fish & Boat Map, showing them what fish species fellow anglers are actually catching in certain bodies of water, and what particular bait was used. They can also scroll through user photos of catches made near them, and filter by species to see what fellow anglers are catching in real time. In addition to the technology enhancements, the map integration also includes the addition of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Refuge and Fish Hatcheries location information to further broaden fishing opportunities for anglers.

“RBFF is known for its extensive insights into the types of conditions that are ideal for making the best catch,” said Johan Attby, CEO of Fishbrain. “But what makes this partnership particularly interesting is that we’re now able to give these anglers an extra edge by adding another layer of invaluable data from the millions of catches happening all across the U.S. We think this will create a great stepping stone for those looking to get into fishing or ramp up their game and catch more and bigger fish.”

The partnership is part of RBFF’s “60 in 60” initiative introduced in 2016 to draw more people to the sport using technology with the goal of increasing fishing participation from the current 47 million anglers to 60 million anglers in 60 months (by 2021).

“We’re excited to partner with an industry leader like Fishbrain to give our audience tools to enhance their fishing experience,” said Frank Peterson, President and CEO at RBFF. “The integration complements our ‘60 in 60’ initiative perfectly by drawing in more anglers and boaters and giving them advanced tools and information that can not only help them improve their fishing skills, but also connect with other anglers in their community.”

About Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation
RBFF is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to increase participation in recreational angling and boating, thereby protecting and restoring the nation’s aquatic natural resources. RBFF’s recently announced 60-in-60 effort strives to attract 60 million anglers to the sport by the end of 2021. To help recruit, retain and reactivate participants, RBFF developed the award-winning Take Me Fishing™ and Vamos A Pescar™ campaigns creating awareness about boating, fishing and conservation, and educating people about the benefits of participation. These campaigns help boaters and anglers of all ages and experience levels learn, plan and equip for a day on the water. The campaign websites, TakeMeFishing.org and VamosAPescar.org, feature how-to videos, information on how to get a fishing license and boat registration, and an interactive state-by-state map that allows visitors to find local boating and fishing spots.

About Fishbrain
Fishbrain is the most popular mobile app and social network for fishing, connecting everyone from beginner to pro anglers with the tools and insights to fully enjoy the world’s most popular hobby while catching more and bigger fish. The app’s interactive map helps anglers find hot new fishing spots and see what other people are catching, with what bait and specifically where. With other features like Fish Species Recognition, marine mapping (provided by C-MAP), forecasts, bait recommendations and more, Fishbrain has become one of the most valuable and rewarding tools in a fisherman’s tackle box. And, with the ability to post photos and videos, log catches, share experiences with an engaging community, and watch tips and tricks from pro ambassadors like Roland Martin, Jimmy Houston, Mike “Ike” Iaconelli, April Vokey, Robert Field and Scott Martin, Fishbrain is not only fueling inspiration, but helping its more than five million users across the globe have more fun by fishing smarter, not harder.

Fishbrain values responsible fishing and the sustainable harvest of fish species, as well as the tracking of rare and endangered species through a partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Florida Wildlife Commission. For more information, go to www.fishbrain.com.

DOI Signals Reorganization Efforts

As reported by the Washington Post and E&E News, the US Department of the Interior is planning to undertake a reorganization of its workforce and land management plans. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke states that the proposal is a major priority, along with reducing the $12 Billion deferred maintenance backlog currently looming over the national park service.
 
Zinke’s goal for this plan is to improve public land management and provide for greater levels of collaboration among interior staff, saying, “If you look at the way we’re presently organized, all the bureaus under Interior have different regions . . . and are not aligned geographically,” Zinke said. For example, a single stream with trout and salmon can fall under the view of five separate agencies, one for each fish, another for a dam downstream and yet another to manage the water, and each generates reports that often conflict. There’s not a lot of opportunity to work as a team.”
 
Under the proposed plan, Interior would divide the agency’s efforts into thirteen distinct geographically coherent regions throughout the US. The move will require the relocation of Interior staff away from Washington DC and other regional offices and into areas where they could better serve an assigned area.

NSBC Names New Executive Director

The National Safe Boating Council has named Peg Phillips as the organization’s new executive director.

“We’re excited to welcome Peg to the NSBC!” said NSBC Board Chair Chris Stec. “She brings a wealth of translatable experience and fresh perspective from her tenure with the College of Life Foundation and US Foods, as well as her volunteer work with ACA Florida. Her career commitment to service and outdoor recreation will serve NSBC and the boating community as a whole well and we look forward to working with her.”

William Higgins, MRAA’s Public Policy Manager sits on the NSBC Board as an at-large member. “We are eager to work with Peggy as she takes charge of the National Safe Boating Council, as the NSBC performs extremely important work to improve boating safety in the United States.

Phillips is a seasoned management professional offering a proven track record in both nonprofit and corporate settings.

Established in 1958, the National Safe Boating Council is the foremost coalition for the advancement and promotion of safer boating through education, outreach, and training.

Visit the Safe Boating Council’s website, for more information.

Spader Business Management Invests In A World of Training

Sioux Falls, SD – The new year ushered in a new partnership with two leaders in the training and consulting field when Spader Business Management secured partial ownership in A World of Training. Both companies specialize in the development of businesses and people through training systems and processes, but at different levels.

“Our clients brought to light the natural progression between our two businesses,” explained John Spader, president of Spader Business Management. “Where we specialize in the development of businesses through training, leadership development, people management and financial management for middle and senior managers, several of our customers would also utilize A World of Training at the dealership to help implement much of what they learned with their front line.”

Spader further explained that while the content taught in Spader Business Management workshops and courses is typically well-understood by the business leaders in attendance, often there was a need for additional assistance in implementation once they returned to their dealerships. “A World of Training has a sharp focus on front line, day-to-day process improvement and is a natural partner to assist with the implementation of key processes while also monitoring adoption and adjustments over time,” he said.

“Instead of operating as totally separate entities, our new partnership will enable us to ‘pass the baton’ between our two companies for improved customer outcomes,” explained Spader. “After seeing how well it worked for many of our customers, it just made sense to unite the two businesses.”

“We’re excited about our new partnership with Spader Business Management,” explained Michael Rees, President of A World of Training. “We plan to use the Spader numbers and processes as templates with our clients. Because we work at the sharp end of things in a dealership month by month, day-in and day- out, this will allow us to integrate the processes and concepts and see the full effect of what is possible in the dealership.”

“We are looking forward to working hand-in-hand with Spader to unlock the full potential of the clients we serve,” Rees said. “By working together, I believe we will see amazing outcomes as dealerships fully implement Spader and A World of Training processes and concepts at all levels of their businesses.”

Spader Business Management is a training and consulting firm founded four decades ago by Duane Spader. Specializing in recreational vehicle, marine, powersports, farm equipment, motorcoach, trailer and retail pet businesses, Spader training programs, consulting services and 20 Groups (peer-to-peer networks) have produced significant returns not only financially but also through improved interpersonal and professional skills and relationships.

A World of Training combined the dealership support services of two other companies in 2009 to specialize in the recreational vehicle industry, but also does work with the marine and powersports industries. They work side-by-side with front-line staff at dealerships to identify areas for improvement and monitor progress throughout the implementation process. Their services are available on-site, through webinars or via online learning modules.

Both business serve clients throughout the United States and Canada.

MRAA Introduces Health Insurance Benefit, MRAA Health

The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas has introduced MRAA Health, an all-new benefits program that extends a nationwide medical insurance program and several ancillary benefits to MRAA Members, their employees and their families.

Facilitated by Bukaty Companies of Kansas City, Mo., the MRAA Health program delivers reduced-cost health insurance to MRAA Members across the United States. Bukaty is a preferred partner for several of the major insurance providers, and their relationships, passed through the MRAA Health program, makes this program available in all 50 States.

“In a survey of the marine dealer body, health care benefits costs were noted as having the most significant negative impact on dealers’ business goals,” explains Matt Gruhn, president of the MRAA. “After reviewing options for our members, we have responded to this impediment to our industry’s success with a program that is already making a major impact for our members.”

MRAA Members are realizing significant savings with this health care program, and Bukaty Companies has been delivering insurance rates that are 15-20 percent lower than what dealers are currently paying. In one case, for example, a dealer was faced with a 23-percent increase in its premiums, and this MRAA Health program flipped the scenario and saved them 18-percent less than what they had been paying.

“We are able to leverage our relationship with the insurance carriers to get special pricing for MRAA members. This allows us to customize the benefits to the need of the business and their employees while attaining pricing normally reserved for a much larger group,” says Cory Matt, Strategic Benefits Consultant, Bukaty Companies. “MRAA is an excellent partner and we look forward to a long-term relationship.”

In addition to medical insurance benefits, Bukaty Companies offers dental, vision, short- and long-term disability, life, critical illness, accident and identity theft insurance. This unified program, which offers large number discounts, also extends Cobra, FSA, HSA, FMLA opportunities, as well as wellness programs, HR and compliance support and training, in customized programs that best fit each individual dealer’s needs.

“One of the things that we like the best about this program is that it’s not a one-size fits all approach,” says Nikki Duffney, Member Development Manager. “Bukaty really takes the headaches out of finding the right insurance program and delivers our members the absolute best program for them, their business and their employees. And to date, we’re proud to report that our members are seeing some significant savings.”

MRAA’s 2016 Workforce Assessment determined that health care was the No. 1 rated impediment to dealers’ business goals, and was the only issue that rated more significant than the devastating workforce shortage the marine industry has faced. MRAA has developed MRAA Health as an option for any of its members to tap into, including dealers, suppliers, service providers and manufacturers. So long as the company has a current membership with MRAA these businesses are eligible to use the program, and Bukaty Companies can extend a quote and its services.

Interested businesses can contact the MRAA offices Nikki Duffney or Emma Penzenstadler for more information and to begin the process of getting a quotes. Please note: You do not have to be at a renewal point with your current health insurance program to make the switch to MRAA Health.

About the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas
At the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas, we believe that for the marine industry to thrive, the retail organizations that interact with the boaters in their community must thrive. With that in mind, MRAA works to create a strong and healthy boating industry by uniting those retailers, providing them with opportunities for improvement and growth, and representing them with a powerful voice. For more information, visit MRAA.com or contact us at 763-315-8043. Neither MRAA nor MRAA Health are insurance companies; MRAA Health simply represents the association’s program branding under which Bukaty Companies provides medical, dental and vision insurance, in addition to several other ancillary products and services.

About Bukaty Companies
Bukaty Companies is one of the largest privately owned, full-service employee benefits companies in the Midwest. Bukaty Companies is licensed in all 50 states and offers a full array of employee benefits. Bukaty Companies provides all of its clients concierge level service. Bukaty Companies just celebrated its 25th year in business and has grown from three employees to over 220 full-time employees. For more information, visit www.bukaty.com or contact us at 913-258-2233.